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REVIEW OF THE INDIGENOUS STATUS STANDARD

In February 2013 the Australian Bureau of Statistics commenced a review of the ABS Indigenous Status Standard. The Standard provides the basis for the ABS to collect statistics about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is also used by other organisations that collect this information.

The Standard includes:

  • Concepts - consisting of the name of the variable and a nominal and an operational definition of the variable
  • Classification and coding information - providing criteria for classifying responses as well as coding procedures
  • Collection methods - including the Standard Indigenous Question used by the ABS
  • Measurement issues - introducing data quality matters and terminology guidelines

A key part of the Standard is the ABS Standard Indigenous Question. This Question was introduced in 1996 and is supported by the Council of Australia Governments in schedule F of the National Indigenous Reform Agreement which states that “all jurisdictions will adopt the standard ABS Indigenous question and recording categories on data collection forms and information systems for key data sets”.

The ABS website provides the full text of the Indigenous Status Standard.

Provide your views

The review is seeking the views of as many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as is practicable, doing this mainly through established representative groups and organisations. The views of government agencies and other organisations will also be sought, since like the ABS many of these use the Standard when making their own data collections.

ABS also welcome the views of other interested individuals and groups. Please send your comments and submissions regarding the Indigenous Status Standard by email to indigenous.statistics@abs.gov.au. Your comment or submission should be sent before close of business 30 September 2013.


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